News

A Limerick man, Colin McNamara, has had a nightclub injury compensation settlement of €80,000 approved in relation to a legal action he pursued following at High Court following an accident that occurred at Dublin nightclub Copper Face Jacks.

Mr McNamara, who works as a bar manager, fractured his ankle in two places following a slip and fall on a wet floor slip at the disco on October 9, 2015. He was staying in Dublin to attend a Republic of Ireland soccer match at the Aviva Stadium.

Mr McNamara (36), who lives in Rathbane Co Limerick, submitted the personal injury compensation claim against Breanagh Catering Ltd and the owners of Copper Face Jacks due to the injuries he suffered at the venue. Mr McNamara informed the High Court that he slipped on a floor which was wet and treacherous to patrons on the evening. He said: “the wet floor caused me to slip and fall. I turned to walk but I ended up on the floor.”

Justice Michael Hanna was informed by Mr McNamara that security workers in attendance lifted him up from the ground and took him out to a back alley where another staff member looked at his leg and ankle before informing him that it was not broken. The security workers informed him that they could not call an ambulance. Mr McNamara advised Justice Hanna that he “hobbled away” from the nightclub before hailing a taxi in order to return to his hotel. As he (Mr McNamara) was still in a considerable amount of pain when he returned to Limerick, he went to hospital where he discovered that he had fractured his ankle in two different places. Mr McNamara underwent surgery and had his movement restricted in the aftermath as he had to use crutches. He was unable to work in his role as a bar manager for five months due to the surgery

Presiding Judge Justice Hanna told the Court that the correct figure of personal injury compensation was €80,000 along with an additional €7,116 ‘special damages’ to pay for medical and other expenses incurred by Mr McNamara.

A 20-year-old Dublin girl has been awarded €550,000 brain injury compensation in relation to an accident that occurred when she was ‘tram-surfing’.

In the legal action before the High Court, Ms Kelly had her settlement with Luas operators Veolia approved in relation to the accident which took place when she was 13-years-old.

Ms Kelly’s accident occurred at the Fatima Luas station on the Red Line in 2010 when, accompanied by a friend, she tried to jump on and hold onto the outside of Luas tram doors as it left the platform. Ms Kelly fell off the tram onto the tracks, striking her head on the ground. Her friends had to drag her out of the path of an approaching tram.

Ms Kelly, who recently gave birth to her first child, was legally represented by Bruce Antoniotti SC who told the High Court that the young lady admitted she was to blame for the accident and she confirmed she should not have been tram surfing. She went on to say that she knew that this was a very unsafe thing to do. The High Court was advised that Ms Kelly wished for no liability to be charged to the the Luas driver who was on duty at the time of the accident.

Via her mother Elizabeth Kelly, Ms Kelly (20) took the Luas injury compensation action against Veolia Transport Dublin Light Rail Ltd and Veolia Transport Ireland Ltd of St John Rogerson’s Quay, in relation to the accident that happened on September 3, 2010.

As part of the personal injury compensation action Ms Kelly claimed that there was a failure to have adequate visual systems implemented on the tram and that the driver had no clear vision of the non-platform side of the tram before leaving the station. The tram, it was claimed, left the platform without first observing the non-platform side of the tram.

Mr Justice Cross, in giving his approval to the Luas accident compensation settlement stated that Ms Kelly did not need to be informed that she had done something silly. However, he praised her for her honesty.

Rebecca’s sister Jennifer Kelly contacted 98FM’s Dublin earlier this week to say that Rebecca has become the victim of an online bullying campaign.

She said: “It’s unbelievable, the girl is afraid to leave her house. She has been getting threats and everything. Her Facebook has just been completely trolled. She hasn’t got a minute, to be completely honest. It is unbelievable the abuse she has gotten. The girl is constantly crying over this.”

The response to a parliamentary question has shown that there is a lengthening backlog being experienced at the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal, leaving those affected by serious violent assaults waiting years to be awarded personal injury compensation.

A parliamentary question submitted by Fianna Fáil TD John Curran prompted the release of these details and Mr Curran has now called for an immediate audit of the scheme to investigate what is causing the delays.

From 2012 to present just 597 payments were have been completed in relation to the 1,357 claims have been filed. In 2017 a total of just 31 compensation payments were completed of the 181 new cases that came before the Tribunal. By the end of May 2018 just 10 victims were completed out of the 73 new cases that were filed during that time period.

Mr Curran TD said of the startling new details: “Despite the fact that the number of cases which settle in a pay-out is declining year on year, there are lengthy delays in the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal assisting victims of crime in Ireland. As it stands, should this year’s applications be managed in the very same poor manner it’s likely that just 24 cases will be settled in 2018.

The TD added: “Victims should expect that they will receive their compensation in a prompt manner and in accordance with constitutional justice. In correspondence I received, the Tribunal itself cited its limited resources and “economic constraints” as contributing factors in the slow process of claims and victims obtaining their due compensation. The Tribunal receives roughly €4 million in budget each year, but it is uncertain how this budget is set considering the number of, and types of cases varies year on year. A thorough review of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal must be carried out before next year’s figure of unsettled claims rises even more. This review could not come quick enough for very many victims of crime or their families.”

A Garda Workplace injury compensation settlement of €1.16m has been approved by Minister for Finance Pascal Donohoe for Aidan FLanagan, a garda and former captain of the Tipperary county hurling team.

Mr Flanagan suffered injuries while he was working and in the process of making an arrest. This comes following a previous decision by Mr Justice Bernard Barton to award the 44-year-old Garda part compensation of €175,000 general damages and €45,000 for loss of opportunity.

Judge Barton had adjourned ruling a final outcome while he was awaiting a review of ongoing settlement negotiations between Micheál Ó Scanaill, SC, counsel for the Minister and barrister Alan Keating, Garda Flanagan’s legal representative.

Mr Ó Scanaill, who was appearing in court with barrister Rebecca Graydon for the Minister, informed Judge Barton that a consent order for €1.16m, a figure which factors into account Mr Flanagan’s past and present loss of earnings and a number of other factors, could be issued in Garda Flanagan’s favour.

In Judge Barton’s previous ruling at the High Court, he made reference to the strong force of a blow that Garda Flanagan had been hit on the base of his back with and the traumatic consequences he experienced. He went on to say that Garda Flanagan had sustained the injury when he was just 30-years-old and had made a substantial €1.47m claim for general damages and recurring pecuniary losses.

The incident took place when Garda Flanagan had arrested a youth who was suspected of carrying out a shop burglary in which alcohol had been illegally taken. The youth had consumed a bottle of vodka and swallowed a quantity of tablets before he was arrested by the Garda.

When the youth was being placed in the back of a squad car as a restraint, a kick had been directed at the small of Garda Flanagan’s back, Judge Barton told the court. He also referred to the serious and significant impact on Garda Flanagan’s physical and mental capacity due toof ongoing chronic pain he experienced. He also said he had felt he could no longer fulfil his role as a garda despite being refused the opportunity the chance to retire on health grounds.

Garda Flanagan was formerly captain of the Tipperary senior county side during the National Hurling League campaign in 1997.

A four-year-old disabled boy who sued in relation to the events that took place during birth has settled his High Court action against the Health Service Executive with a final lump sum payment of €15.5m.

The total amount being paid to the young boy, Charlie Enright, who has cerebral palsy and is physically disabled, is now €17.2.

President of the High Court Mr Justice Peter Kelly, approved the total award on Friday. It is thought to be the highest ever for a catastrophically injured person who sued over care at birth.

Charlie’s parents Caitriona and Anthony Enright, from Limerick, released a statement saying that they could now get on with their lives.

It read: “What Charlie lost in August 2013 is priceless. No amount of money can replace it. We are happy with the settlement.”

Mr Justice Kelly, as he was approving the settlement, praised the Enrights and said Charlie’s treatment was a ’family affair’ and the whole extended family had got together to care for “a remarkable boy.”

In 2016 Charlie Enright’s case against the HSE – arising out of his birth at the Midwestern Regional Maternity Hospital, Limerick – was settled with a first interim payment of €1.75m to cover his needs for two years.

Liability was admitted early in the case, the court heard.

Charlie’s mother told the Court that in the last two years they have started to build a house specially adapted for Charlie beside the family home. She added that her son’s physical ability had got much better and the difficulty for Charlie was he was “locked in and communication is a big problem.”

Mrs Enright, who has taken a career break to care for her son, told the High Court that Charlie is starting at the local school in September.

Mrs Enright had been admitted to the hospital at 37 weeks in to her pregnancy with Charlie on August 19, 2013. Physician took the decision to induce labour after several tests were completed.

In the birth injury compensation action, it was alleged in the events that followed there was a breach of duty with a failure to provide an acceptable standard of care during the labour and up to the time of Charlie’s birth.

A 10-year-old Wexford girl has been awarded €37,500 in personal injury compensation after she was burned by hot chocolate in a New Ross-based takeaway in 2014.

The girl, Kaya Caulfield, taking the compensation action via her mother Leann Kelly, of 21 Ard Mhicil, New Ross, sued Cillgarman Ltd, trading as O’Brien’s Sandwich Bar, South Street, New Ross. The Court was advised by Counsel Grainne Fahy, instructed by solicitor Martin Lawlor, that Leann Kelly had purchased the beverage for her daughter Kaya at O’Brien’s Sandwich Bar. Kaya, who was just six years old at the time, suffered burns when the hot chocolate spilled as she sat in her mother’s car. Her legal counsel claimed that the spillage happened as the lid was not appropriately tightened on the hot chocolate cup.

Following the spillage Kaya was brought to the Care Doc and then referred to to Waterford Regional Hospital in Ardkeen. Medics decided to transfer the child to Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin where it was found that she had experience 2% superficial scalding to the medial aspect of both thighs. Kaya’s wounds were treated and she was an in-patient at the hospital for two days.

The Court was advised that the wounds had now healed and are no longer visible which is not usually the case with burns injuries such as those experienced by Kaya.

Teh father of a new baby who had his employment terminated just 11 days after the birth of his new-born baby, while he was on paternity leave, has been awarded €2,461 in unfair dismissal compensation by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).

At a work meeting on 12 January 2017 the man, who was working as a horticulturalist was advised he was being made redundant – straight after his boss congratulated him on the birth of his new baby. His boss then asked to clear his desk of his things and leave immediately.

The man took a legal action for unfair dismissal and the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) has upheld his claim and ordered his former employer to pay him a sum of €2,461 in wrongful dismissal compensation. WRC Adjudication Officer, Pat Brady has referred the employer’s conduct during the case as “seriously unacceptable”.

The unfair dismissal compensation amount awarded would have been much greater higher if the man had not found a new job so quickly. However as he was quick to find a new, better-paid, role it meant that his precious employer was not liable for as much compensation as may have been the case.

When appearing before the WRC, the man referred to the fact that any termination during on paternity leave is automatically found to be unfair as per section 20 of the Paternity Leave and Benefit Act, 2016. The employer remarked that he was not conscious of the fact that that as employee being absent on paternity leave was an issue and the business decision to make the man redundant was due to a restructuring of his company.

Pat Brady, the WRC Adjudication Officer, said that the employer in the case had adopted a negligent attitude to the Paternity Leave and Benefit Act.

Mr Brady stated: “Then, in circumstances which could scarcely have been more insensitive, he was given one day’s notice of a meeting at which his employment is terminated and he is told to leave the premises and not to return.”

He went on to say: “However, it is the total absence of any procedures which is of more concern; the lack of proper or any notice, the lack of a selection procedure or consideration of alternatives.”

Garda Barry Hennessy has been awarded €15,000 in workplace injury compensation after he suffered a thumb injury while on a house call in relation to a party at Clonard Village, Wexford town.

The Wexford-based garda commented to the court that, as a regular golfer, he now has to use painkilling medication in cold weather.

Garda Hennessy, who was appearing before a Garda Compensation hearing, remarked that to Mr Justice Michael Twomey that the injury he suffered does have any real negative affect on his life apart from a small degree of pain and stiffness.

Garda Hennessy (36) told the court that he attended the house in Clonard Village, Wexford, on June 2009 as music blaring from the house was disturbing locals.

Upon reaching the house he entered through the open front door. it was here that he found an individual lying on a sofa. A second person entered and started to roar and shout at the garda. He, Garda Hennessy, was jostled and struck in the face at this point. When he attempted to make an arrest his left thumb was pushed back and dislocated.

Garda Hennessy withdrew at this point and returned to the garda station. Another garda took him to Wexford Hospital. His thumb was treated for dislocation here. Follwoing this his thumb was in a cast for several week during which time Garda Hennessy was absent from work.

The Court was told by Garda Hennessy that “there is nothing I cannot now do with my thumb but when it involves lifting something or gripping something it can still be painful. I have had to take pain killers before playing golf”.

He went on to say that he had been told that he should have surgery to help the injury. Despite this he opted not to do this.

Garda Hennessy was awarded €15,000 Judge Twomey awarded who revealed in the announcement that Garda Hennessy had not been in receipt of physiotherapy or opted for the other measures that were available to him.

it was alleged in the High Court that the young boy’s right index finger was l by a cut by bowling ball and he suffered a fracture to the finger which required a surgery.

There was a further allegation that was a failure to put in place the proper measure to ensure the safety of the child. It was claimed that the bowling ball was permitted to remain a danger or hazard at the bowling alley. Legal representatives for Mr Devitt also alleged that appropriate children’s equipment was not provided in order for the bowling alley to be made safe for young children.

XL Bowl refuted the allegations were and said it would be stated in a court action that the toddler was not being adequately supervised when the accident occurred.

Philip Sheahan SC, acting on behalf of Kaylum Devitt, told the High Court the toddler was in the bowling alley with his family and that there may be two different accounts of what took place on the day and a claim that people were looking elsewhere at the time that the accident took place.

Mr Justice Anthony Barr, who reviewed the scar, said the personal injury settlement was for an adequate sum given the extent of the injuries suffered by the toddler.

The High Court has approved a birth injury compensation settlement of €65,000 for a boy, now aged eight years old. Dara Brennan allegedly experienced a facial injury during his delivery at the Coombe Hospital on November 12, 2009.

It is thought that Dara, Brayton Park, Kilcock, Co Kildare, suffered the injury to his face as a result of an attempted forceps delivery at the hospital.

To this day resultant scarring and two indentations on the right side of his face remain visible when he smiles.

Lorraine Brennan, acting on behalf of her son, took the compensation action against the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital due to the alleged negligence Dara encountered during his birth.

Legal Counsel alleged that the incorrect use of forceps during the delivery inflicted the scars to right side of Dara Brennan’s face. Legal representatives for the boy claimed that there was an absence of the required level of care, competence, judgment and skill appropriate during the delivery of the boy.

It was argued that a more senior or experienced doctor in obstetrics should have attended the birth of Dara Brennan. Counsel for the Coombe Hospital denied these claims.

The High Court was advised by Dara’s legal team that liability was fully contested in the case. In addition, medical experts could not agree on the specific circumstances of the delivery.

Mr Justice Kevin Cross remarked, while approving the birth scarring compensation settlement said that it was as close to complete compensation as possible for Dara Brennan.

A woman has been awarded €25,000 in damages in finger injury compensation following a accident involving on a water meter cover outside her Limerick home in 2012.

Kirdwin Johnson, aged 30 said that she is unable to properly extend her thumb since the accident. She was cleaning when she broke her wrist in the incident on August 4, 2012.

Ms Johnson advised Judge Gerald Keys that her foot became stuck and, as a result, she “fell back on my (her) arm”. The injured arm remained in a cast for a period of approximately six weeks.

Mr Jack Nicholas BL, representing Ms Johnson , asked her show the Court the extent her injury by extending both thumbs. Mr Nicholas also commented that: “The right thumb doesn’t extend as far back as the left thumb.”

The Court also heard that Ms Johnson has a detailed history submitting personal injury claims in the Circuit Court.

When questioned the legal representatives of Limerick City County if she had seen the stopcock on the footpath before falling, she replied: “I have seen it but I never paid attention to it before.”

The orthopaedic consultant who treated Ms Johnson after the accident happened did not “make an issue” of the injured thumb in his official accident report. Ms Johnson stated that she she began to feel a “weakness in her thumbs” while attending her son’s graduation ceremony in 2015.

Ms Johnson’s ailments injuries were examined by Dr Jim Fehily on two occasions, once in September 2016 and another time in December 2017. Dr Fehily said that he felt, after the examination that Ms Johnson’s thumb injury was “unlikely” to be as a result of the accident with the water meter cover in 2012.

While no record of any other complaints about the stopcock/meter involved in the accident, Judge Keys remarked that there were no dates included on the original photographs of the water meter cover presented in court.

Judge Keys said: “I am not saying that this lady is making this up, but I have to be satisfied.” He added that the damaged water meter cover was “trap for anybody and anyone who walks by” and that “you can’t leave a situation like that unattended”.

Judge Keys ruled that he had “no choice but to conclude that the plaintiff succeeds” but was “not satisfied” Ms Johnson’s suffering was related to the fall in 2012.

The rates of rate of whiplash injuries suffered in Ireland is, at present, much higher than in most other European countries according a recent report from the Personal Injuries Commission (PIC).

The PIC was set up in early 2017 to look into personal injury compensation claims with a particular focus on the increases in soft tissue and whiplash compensation claims.

Car insurance costs went up by a staggering 70% in the three-year duration between 2013-16. It is though that fraudulent compensation claims to blame for this surge.

However, the PIC is of the opinion that establishing up an independent medical panel to review whiplash injuries would negatively affect a claimant’s rights, so it is steering clear from approving such a move.

Instead, it calls for the establishment of a uniform approach for medical staff treating whiplash injuries. There is, currently, no one accreditation required or benchmark standard for a doctor who wishes to complete a medico-legal report on a personal injury compensation claim in Ireland. The report says that medics should adopt a standardised approach to diagnosing, treating and reporting on soft tissue injuries, of which the vast majority are connected to whiplash.

It recommended the implementation of the Quebec Task Force Whiplash Associated Disorder grading scale by medical professionals reporting on relevant injuries. This scales is formulated based on the severity of symptoms and associated physical factor. It says “Training and accreditation in soft tissue reporting is agreed as being the best practice requirement for those wishing to complete relevant reports”.

The thinking is that a self-testing factor by the injured party should also be implemented to review compensation claims.

The PIC is chaired by Judge Mr Nicholas Kearns who urged insurance companies to release some background details on the incidence of whiplash injuries in Ireland. This would form a key element of the National Claims Information Database that is currently being put together by the Central Bank of Ireland.

Mr Justice Kearns also claimed that such dissemination of information on whiplash injuries would be for the betterment of the personal injuries compensation environment in Ireland by fostering ‘an objective standard’ for reviewing whiplash injuries. He went on to say that reports, in future, will look at comparative systems and bench marking compensation award levels from around the world.

Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin judge issued a serious warning to a teenager accused of assault and breaking another youth’s jaw. The warning has lead to an order to pay €1,000 injury compensation.

When no offer of personal injury compensation was made at the court hearing last week, Judge Ó Donnabháin warned the accused that he should “wakey wakey” in terms of compensation.

The youth was back at court yesterday and there was €1,000 offered by way of compensation according to Dermot Sheehan, Legal Counsel for the defendant. Following this the judge adjourned sentencing to November 20 with the accused remanded on bail until that date.

The assault happened at Charleville Show on June 26, 2016 when one youth headbutted the victim on his jaw and left the scene. He, (the defendant) then approached the victim again and punched him on the same side of his face that received the initial blow. The victim suffered a serious jaw injury. In order to remedy the injuries inflicted, the victim had to have two plates and splints inserted into his jaw and he also lost some teeth.

The accused Mr Sheehan advised the Court, suffers from some health issues. Having read the report produced Judge Ó Donnabháin commented that: “He has not got health issues, he has behavioural issues.”

At the initial hearing last week, the judge ruled that it was unreasonable for the accused, who is not named as he is a juvenile, to come before Cork Circuit Criminal Court with no compensation offer ready.

Conor Bolger, aged 13, has been awarded €25,000 in personal injury compensation, for a Tayto Park fall that occurred on March 25 2012, following High Court approval for a proposed compensation settlement.

Mr Bolger, now 13 years old, of Briarfield Road, Kilbarrack, took the personal injury compensation action against Ashbourne Visitor Centre Ltd, Co Meath (trading as Tayto Park) through his father Brian Bolger. He underwent a surgical operation to insert pins in his lower arm to treat a fractured elbow, due the injuries he suffered in the fall.

The legal team acting on behalf of the Bolger family claimed that the tower where the accident occurred, one of the main children’s attractions in the Park in 2012, was overcrowded with people. It was also alleged that the ground surrounding the tower had insufficient protective wood mulch. They also argued that, as there was not an adequate system of safety inspections in place in the area, this went unnoticed by employees of Tayto Park, The added that if these inspections had been carried out Conor Bolger may have suffered less debilitating injuries.

Legal counsel for Ashbourne Visitor Centre (Tayto Park) David McGrath SC denied these allegations as, they believed, Mr Bolger “just fell” and there was no safety issue with the tower itself. The Bolger family, the court was told, were content with the proposed injury compensation settlement of €25,000.

The Tayto Park Fall compensation settlement was approved by High Court Justice Kevin Cross who stated that Mr Bolger’s scar, following the surgical procedure to insert pins, was not “too upsetting” and also commented that the boy would have suffered through being unable to play basketball for a period of time after the accident happened.

In September 2011, the jogger tripped who was running in Clondalkin, Dublin. As he turned into a caravan site, he tripped on a hole in the surface of a footpath. He fell to the ground, and as he put his hands up to protect himself, he fractured a knuckle on his right hand. He subsequently had to undergo surgery for and has since been left with a scar.

The man sought legal counsel, and as the caravan site is owned and managed by South Dublin County Council, he claimed compensation for a trip and fall injury on council land. The council disputed liability and argued the man-who also participated in boxing matches–had injured his knuckle in a fight.
The case went to the High Court due to the disagreement over liability. It was heard by Mr Justice Anthony Barr. During the hearing, it was disclosed that the man had been involved in a car accident the previous day in which he had suffered soft tissue injuries to his neck and back.

The defendants used this information to express doubts that the man would have gone jogging the day after an accident. They repeated their suspicion that the injury had been sustained in a boxing match, and was not a result of the fall on their land. However, a medical witness testified that the man was just trying to run off his soft tissue injury.

The judge accepted this evidence, and concluded this was a “credible explanation” for why the man had been jogging on the morning after a car accident. The judge awarded him €55,000 compensation for a trip and fall injury on council land. The judge had increased the award by €5,000 to account for the aggressive manner in which the council had pursued their argument the claim was fraudulent.

Judge Barr said in his closing remarks that the evidence suggested the plaintiff was injured in the manner in which he had claimed, on account of the evidence provided by the medical expect. He added there was no credible reason to suggest the jogger was making a fraudulent claim, and further stated that the jogger was entitled to the additional compensation for the upset caused to him by the nature of the unsuccessful defence put forward by South Dublin County Council.

Concerns have been raised about the exposure to toxic chemicals in an Air Corps airbase causing illnesses – some fatal – to servicemen, their partners and their children.

According to an article published today in thejournal.ie, a former Air Corps mechanic has claimed the exposure to toxic chemicals at an Air Corps airbase is causing servicemen, their partners and their children to suffer illnesses and development issues. In some cases, the whistle-blower claims, the illnesses have resulted in death.

The allegations relate to the Casement Airbase in Baldonnel, County Dublin, where it is claimed the Defence Forces failed to protect workers from exposure to known carcinogenic and mutagenic chemicals. The exposure to the chemicals has not only resulted in the alleged untimely death of twenty servicemen, but also life-changing illnesses to their partners and children.

In an address to senior Ministers, TDs, senators and a member of the Defence Forces, the whistle-blower said he knew of many serving and retired personnel who had developed fertility issues. He claimed that one retired serviceman´s wife had eight successive miscarriages and that the wives of three personnel in the engineering wing suffered miscarriages within six months of each other.

The unprotected exposure to carcinogenic and mutagenic chemicals, the former mechanic claimed, had resulted in the death of five servicemen´s children – two from cancer-related illnesses, and two from serious birth defects. He also gave details of further children who have been born with development issues suspected to be linked to their parent´s exposure to toxic chemicals in an Air Corps airbase.

Claims that the Defence Forces failed to protect Irish servicemen against exposure to toxic chemicals go back more than a decade, but these allegations have raised fresh concerns. Speaking to thejournal.ie, Sinn Féín TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh accused junior Justice Minister Paul Kehoe of indifference to the “severe mental and physical side effects on serving and retired soldiers”.

TD Ó Snodaigh expressed concerns that the issue of exposure to toxic chemicals in an Air Corps airbase had not been addressed despite a Health and Safety Authority inspection of the Casement Airbase identifying several health and safety issues in need of immediate attention. Currently the State Claims Agency is defending six personal injury claims made due illnesses attributed to exposure to toxic chemicals at an Air Corps airbase.

Drug manufacturer Sanofi has issued a statement acknowledging the valproate birth defect claims being made against the company in a French class action.

The drug responsible for prompting the valproate birth defects claims is sold as Depakine in France (since 1967), and as Epilim in Ireland (since 1983). It is commonly known as an anti-epilepsy drug, but is also used to treat bipolar disorder, migraine and other chronic pain conditions. Epilim contains an active ingredient – sodium valproate – that stabilises electrical activity in the brain.

When taken by pregnant mothers, the risk exists that the sodium valproate will be converted to valproic acid. This is then absorbed into bloodstream and adversely affects the health of their unborn child. In Ireland, children born after being exposed to valproic acid have been known to suffer from spina bifida, autism and a range of congenital and development issues under the umbrella term “foetal valproate syndrome”.

The risks were first identified in France in the 1980s, over a decade after the drug was introduced. However, no conclusive evidence was found linking the drug to the children born with defects, so no formal announcement was made to the medical profession. After further investigations, Sanofi informed medical authorities of the risks of the drug in 2006. In spite of the announcement, very few medical professionals were made aware of the side effects until France´s social affairs inspectorate – IGAS – investigated valproate birth defect claims in a case study the Rhone-Alpes region last year.

IGAS´s research revealed just under 500 children born in the region had congenital defects exposed to valproic acid during the period between 2006 and 2014 after being. The report called for a warning to be printed on the outside of each box of Epilim advising pregnant women not to take the drug due to the serious risks to the foetus.
A much deeper study of the risks was conducted by France’s National Agency for the Safety of Medicines (ANSM). The results of that study were recently released following an investigation into the health of 8,701 children, born to women known to have taken Depakine while pregnant between 2007 and 2014. The results revealed that up to 4,100 children had been born with “severe malformations” and many hundreds more had died in the womb or been delivered stillborn.

Following the release of the study, Sanofi issued a statement in which the company said: “We are aware of the painful situation confronting the families of children showing difficulties that may have a link with the anti-epileptic treatment of their mother during pregnancy.” However, the statement has not satisfied parents of the children affected by the side effects of Epilim. They sought legal counsel, and together have started a class action of valproate birth defect claims to recover compensation for their children.
In Ireland, Epilim is still sold without a warning in large type on the front of the packet, and it is not known how many children have been born with birth defects due to being exposed to valproic acid. If a member of your family has been affected by this tragic situation, and you would like to know more about valproate birth defect claims, you should speak with a solicitor at the first possible opportunity.

A judge has adjourned the case of a girl who sustained an injury to her eyebrow while travelling on Dublin bus so that further medical reports can be made.

A girl (who was twenty-two months old at the time of the incident) was travelling on a bus in Dublin with her mother in 2015 when the bus driver braked suddenly to avoid an unmarked garda car that had pulled out into a bus lane. Although strapped into her buggy, the girl hit her head on one of the poles in the bus.

The girl was taken to Temple Street Children´s Hospital by her mother to receive medical attention. The girl had sustained a cut on her foreheard, which was cleaned and sealed with seristrips. It is possible that the girl´s eyebrow hair will not develop normally as she gets older, and a very faint scar remains in the area.

As she was a minor at the time of the incident, her mother made a claim for compensation for an eyebrow injury on the girl’s behalf. The defendants-Dublin Bus and the Garda Commissioner-accepted liability for the injury, and a settlement of compensation amounting to €10,000 was offered to the family.

As the claim for compensation for an eyebrow injury had been made on behalf of a minor, the proposed settlement had to be approved by a judge to deem it fair before it could be finalised. The case was heard at the Circuit Civil Court last week, by Mr Justice Raymond Groarke. The judge was told the circumstances of the accident and the consequences of the injury.

Judge Groarke inspected the young girl´s eyebrow and said he could still see a visible scar. He commented that, as it was difficult to tell if the girl had made a complete recovery, he was reluctant to approve the settlement at this stage. He adjourned the approval hearing for six weeks in order that a medical report could be prepared on how the injury may interfere with the growth of the girl´s eyebrow hair in the future. The case is thus ongoing.

A judge has approved a settlement of compensation for a Spanish swimming pool accident after an initial offer of settlement was more than doubled.

In August 2012, the twelve-year-old plaintiff and her family visited the Sol Principe Hotel in Torremolinos on the Costa Del Sol. While the girl – who was eight years of age at the time – was swimming in the hotel´s pool, another holidaymaker dived into the pool, landing on top of her and pushing her to the bottom of the pool, where she cut her chin on the tiles.

The girl was taken to a local medical centre, where her cut chin was cleaned and seristrips applied to the wound. Due to the accident, the girl suffered pain, distress and discomfort, and now has a pale 1cm scar on her chin. Through her father she claimed compensation for a Spanish swimming pool accident against the hotel and the travel agent through whom the holiday had been booked.

In the claim for compensation for a Spanish swimming pool accident it was alleged the hotel – and, by association, the travel agent – had been negligent and failed in its breach of duty by failing to take adequate precautions while guests were using the swimming pool. It was also alleged there was a lack of adequate supervision that would have prevented the accident from occurring.

The allegations were denied and a full defence entered against the claim. It was also argued that the case should be heard in Spain, rather than in Ireland, because of the location in which it took place. However, at the Circuit Civil Court, Mr Justice Raymond, heard that an offer of settlement amounting to €5,000 compensation for a Spanish swimming pool accident had been made by the two defendants.

The offer of settlement was in line with what the girl would receive if the family were to successfully bring a claim in Spain. Judge Groarke heard that the offer had been since increased to €12,500 after initially being rejected by the family and, as liability might be an issue if the case were proceed to a full hearing, the family had agreed to accept it. The judge said, in the circumstances he was happy to approve the settlement of compensation for a Spanish swimming pool accident.

The family of a baby who was born with Erb’s palsy following negligence of the medical staff involved with his birth has been awarded medical negligence compensation.

A baby boy was born via a natural delivery on 22nd March 2010 despite his mother having requested a birth by Caesarean section. She had requested such an operation because he had been identified as a large baby following an ultrasound, and she wished to avoid the medical complications which this could cause. As she feared, during the delivery process, the boy´s shoulder got trapped in the birth canal. Staff at the hospital-Kerry General Hospital-had to extract him with the assistance of a vacuum cup.

Due to the force applied to free his shoulder, the boy suffered a brachial plexus injury and has since been diagnosed with Erb´s palsy. As a result of this, the boy has a weak right arm that will permanently affect him for the rest of his life. The family sought legal counsel, and the boy´s father made a claim for an Erb´s palsy birth injury against the HSE on his son´s behalf.

The authority in charge of the hospital, the Health Service Executive (HSE) initially denied liability for the boy´s birth injury. period of negotiation agreed to a €530,000 settlement of the claim for an Erb´s palsy birth injury without an admission of liability. As the claim had been made on behalf of a child, the proposed settlement had to be approved by a judge to ensure it was in the child´s best interests.

The case was recently heard at the High Court in Dublin by Mr Justice Kevin Cross. The judge was informed that the boy had been identified as a very large baby approximately two months before his birth following an ultrasound scan. As a result of his size, his mother had requested a Caesarean section delivery on two consultations and again when she was admitted to Kerry General Hospital in labour to avoid potential complications with his birth. However, these requests were subsequently ignored by health authorities.

Judge Cross also heard details about the boy’s life. The child attends mainstream school, and has learned to write with his left hand. He is also very good at maths. An expert witness who examined the boy’s physical strength testified that the boy is unable to tie shoes or close buttons and will struggle at sports, after which the judge approved the settlement of the boy´s claim for an Erb´s palsy birth injury against the HSE and wished the family well for the future.